My friend died. He chose doctor-assisted suicide. Dan was three months from his ninetieth birthday and had many health issues. The strokes were becoming more damaging, and spinal cancer would soon leave him paralyzed. These, along with heart-related issues, were more than he wanted his wife to deal with, as her health was not good either.

Since doctor-assisted suicide was not legal in the state where he lived and states with these laws required him to be a resident, he explored Switzerland as an option. It took months for him and his daughter to finish all the required paperwork. Once he was accepted as a candidate for the program, they traveled to Switzerland and were joined there by close family and friends. Surrounded by loved ones, he made his transition. Although it was sad, it was also a joyful event; it was the right thing for him to do.

Many people in my life have died, and I have always been able to communicate with them after their passing. But Dan did not believe in an afterlife. I tried to connect with him, but there was nothing. I couldn’t find him, let alone talk with him. Off and on for weeks, I went within, and it was like he had vanished. At first, I thought he was just busy doing afterlife things, but it had never lasted that long with anyone else.